Undergraduate Alumni Success and Career Outcomes

A Houghton education can alter the trajectory of a student’s life, and alumni will gladly tell you: Houghton will not only prepare you for a job after you graduate – it will lay the groundwork for an amazing life.

Where are they now?

What Houghton Graduates Say

Our honors group became like a family—professors included—and together, we tackled the world and encouraged each other as we matured as individuals. We had tea together, laughed together, cried together and became new together. I will forever be blessed by this program; even now, the impact is still unfolding in my life as I continue to love God and His world.

Emily Vandenbosch
Honors at Houghton ’19

My internships at the U.S. Congress and Deloitte & Touche made my résumé multidimensional. Houghton allowed me to become extraordinary in more than one field.

Joseph Gilligan
Accounting/Business Administration '18

(Houghton's M.S.Ed. program) allows for flexibility for my professional and personal schedule, providing me the opportunity to go at a slower pace to accommodate my life.

Heather Mann
Current M.S.Ed. Student

The thing I appreciated most about Houghton’s MBA program was the flexibility it provided me...I was able to work and take my classes at the same time...

Elianna (Chroniger '18) McHenry
MBA '20

Many things contributed to my preparedness for professional work during my education at Houghton. Obviously, the technical knowledge gained in my computer science classes with Dr. Hu was indispensable. But, beyond that, my experience at Houghton provided me with so many ``soft`` skills that have been even more important than any technical knowledge I gained.

While pursuing my degrees in Computer Science and Music, I had the great opportunity to work with the folks in Technology Services as both a helpdesk and a network intern. I learned how to prioritize work and track multiple projects—both homework and IT projects—and developed customer skills.

Benjamin Yuly
Computer Science and Music Composition '16

Where are they now?

Class of 2021

InterVarsity Press

Jericho Road Community Health Center

General Motors

Wiland

Tanium

USDA Forest Service

Paychex

Chautauqua Institution

Whacker Chemical Corporation

Global Disciples

Self-Employed/Entrepreneurs

Nueva Esperanza – New Hope for Honduras

What They’re Doing

Class of 2021
  • Mentor Coordinator
  • Assistant Professor of Accounting
  • Physical Therapist Aide
  • Senior Instructional System Designer
  • Chief of Staff for an Assemblyman
  • Laboratory Technician
  • Upper School Choir Director
  • Events Marketing Coordinator
  • Software Support Specialist
  • Library Assistant
  • Coatings Chemist I
  • Wilderness Guide
  • Personal Trainer
  • Middle School English Teacher
  • Quality Assurance Analyst
  • Junior Graphic Designer
  • Rehabilitation Aide
  • Social Media Specialist
  • Real Estate Appraiser
  • Director of Facility and League Operations
  • Video & Audio Production Director and Social Media Coordinator
  • Forestry Technician
  • Data Scientist
  • Supply Chain Specialist
  • Ministry Site Director
  • Behavior Management Coordinator
  • Associate Pastor
  • Work Readiness Program Administrator
  • Conference Sales Executive
  • Director of Student Ministry

Where They Attend Graduate School

Class of 2021
  • Anderson University-Anderson, IN
  • Arcadia University
  • Asbury Theological Seminary
  • Auckland University of Technology
  • Baylor University
  • Canisius College
  • Houghton College
  • Michigan State University
  • Nazareth College
  • Paul Smith’s College
  • Roberts Wesleyan College
  • Rochester Institute of Technology
  • Saint Bonaventure University
  • University at Buffalo
  • University of Rochester
Business Students in Board Room

What Employers Say

I have hired college graduates into several different disciplines here at John Deere. Ultimately I seek those candidates that can demonstrate the ability to learn new topics quickly, effectively apply it to their work and increase the strength of the team through collaboration and cross-learning with their colleagues.

Michael Cha, Data Science ’18, arrived ready to contribute with the knowledge he had gained through his education and an eagerness to supplement with knowledge gained from his co-workers and independent research. He has worked as a data scientist to develop and improve statistical models to create business insights. Through improving these estimates, John Deere is able to optimize the supply chain and improve the availability of these future parts for our customers.

KEVIN EILERS
SMART CONNECTED WAREHOUSE ANALYST, JOHN DEERE WORLDWIDE PART SERVICES

I don’t run into candidates like Victoria Mullen-Bowers, Art '13, especially right out of college. She is logical but whimsical, which brings focus to project management, humor to teamwork and craft to the aesthetic.

As Head of Product Development, she brings to the company a perfect blend of art and business acumen. Her background in graphic design was merely the springboard of her trajectory to running all arts at Northern Lights. Tori is not only a quick learner, but can contribute organizing and building systems across the entire company.

Amy Bennett
COO, Northern Lights Candles, Zippo's family of companies

When I think of the qualities necessary to be a successful auditor, Joe Gilligan, Accounting and Business Administration '18, does not fall short. Building trust is also an important quality to a successful auditor, and Joe has built the necessary relationships to earn the trust of those he works with. Joe is a life-long learner and is always looking to better himself, including making time for self-reflection and taking a positive outlook on every situation. These qualities help Joe to distinguish himself and will set him up for great success in his career.

I am proud to see Joe’s progress since joining us, and I look forward to his continued success as he leads his engagement teams’ staff as a senior auditor. Having also attended a small liberal arts college, I have no doubt that Joe’s success is due in part to his well-rounded liberal arts education at Houghton College.

Caity Whitman
Deloitte & Touche LLP

Erik Sorensen, Data Science '20, came into Deere with a solid foundation in Data Science; he has been able to fit into our agile model, learn on the job while still maintaining high productivity and being accountable to his team. He has worked on projects ranging from geospatial modeling of different vegetation indices to building a predictive model of soil moisture and field accessibility for planting and harvest.

I have been very impressed with his humility and desire to grow, taking personal accountability for his work, and learning to improve in his critical thinking skills. He joined the team with the skills ready to hit the ground running.

Angela Bowman
Scientist, Sustainability Solutions, John Deere

Marshall Brady, Theology and Music Industry '17, serves as High School Director in our student ministry. He has wonderful interpersonal skills that make him effective in ministry, and his experiences on campus (in particular, being an RA, serving on Summer Ministry Teams, and serving in ministry at local churches) helped Marshall start his ministry here ahead of most of his peers in terms of the soft skills he needed to start strong. I’ve personally watched Marshall lead during COVID, and every week I’m hearing from other staff members who are taking note of how Marshall and his closest colleagues have created a culture of infectious optimism. Our entire church has noticed how his ministry has grown during the pandemic while virtually every other area of ministry has suffered setbacks. Houghton consistently produces young men and women like Marshall who have the education, the experiences, and the work ethic to complement God-given talents.

Steve Dunmire, D.Min.
Teaching Pastor, Watermark Wesleyan Church; Assistant Superintendent, WNY District of The Wesleyan Church

What led to their success?

Houghton College graduates are equipped for successful careers, fulfilling their God-given calling, thanks to the high-quality, affordable Christian education that they received. What makes the difference?

Career Preparation

The Office of Vocation and Calling provides a unique approach to vocational and career planning by engaging with students throughout their first year of college, walking them through individually customized and comprehensive career development plans that are available beyond graduation.

Prepare for your future

Academic Support

Personalized advisement and ongoing academic support ensure that you will find the classes that you need to graduate on time and meet your professional goals.

Discover the center for student success

National Recognition

From academic reputation to best value, to the safest campus, Houghton’s excellence has been recognized in comparison to other colleges and universities.

See how houghton compares

The Houghton Promise

For Student Enrolled at Houghton, NY Campus

At Houghton, you will receive a high-quality education that puts God first and prepares you for the fast-paced and ever-changing world. That’s our promise to you, and we stand by it.

View the Houghton Promise

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Outcomes data for the Class of 2021 based on the most recent survey of graduates by the Office of Vocation and Calling.